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Radio Ruhaniyat: March 25, 2017
#1 on the Hut Door! God is always #1!
Hi everyone and welcome to another episode of Radio Ruhaniyat!
A poor family used to live in a small tattered hut and always used to pray to God, to bless them so that they could get financial stability. One day, a holy man passed by and they invited him into their little hut and offered him a meal. They served him and took his blessings. When he was leaving the hut, he was very pleased, so he took a piece of coal from his bag and wrote the number 1 on the inner side of the front door.
After he left, the family started finding 1 rupee from everywhere around their little hut. They would pick up a glass and there would be a rupee under. Wherever, they would put their hands, they would find a rupee.
A few months passed by and another holy man came in. The family was very happy and served him with great devotion. When he was leaving, he also took a piece of coal from his bag and this time, he added a zero to the 1 that was written on the inner side of the front door.
No sooner had he left, the family now started finding 10 rupees from all around the house.
Another few months went by and a third holy man came in. The same scenario repeated itself and this time, he added another zero to the 10 that was written inside the front door. Now the family started finding 100 rupee bills from under items and all around the house. It didn’t take long when the family started enjoying financial bliss. Their tattered hut changed into a lavish bungalow at the same spot, but they kept the original front door intact.
A few more months passed by and the same holy man who had first come to their house, came back. He saw that the family was now very rich and noticed how their lifestyle had changed. The family invited him in and told him that there were bigger and more powerful holy men than him, who had blessed them with ten times and hundred times more wealth than him and that his blessing of 1 rupee was really not worth while any more.
They explained to him that they have been blessed with 100 rupee bills and that they don’t want his blessing of 1 rupee anymore, because they were afraid that the 100 rupees will change into 1 rupee and their benefits would be reduced to nothing. The original holy man then asked them, that if they did not need his 1 anymore, then should he take it back? They said sure!
So, on his way out of the bungalow, he took a piece of cloth and wiped out the 1 that was written on the inside of the door. All that was left on the door now, was 00.
It didn’t take long for the family to realize that the money had stopped showing up and they finally understood that the blessing indicated on the door was now zero-zero. They realized that the zeros had no value without the 1.
Similarly, God plays the role of that “1” in our lives. The Gurbani very beautifully refers to Him as the one and only: Ek Onkar. When we make God number 1 in our lives, then with our karam and deeds, we add zeros to our lives and give it value. But when we forget to place God as number 1, then the zeros have no value, and our lives become worthless. The materialistic life around us is equivalent to the zeros. It has value only when put after the 1 God. If we were to put materialism first, and then God second, then also, a 1 after the zeros has merely any value.
We all need to remember to put God first. If we have Him, we have everything. If we keep seeking material pleasures but forget God, then we are not getting anywhere.
"Forgetfulness of God is ‘death’. God is the ocean of virtues. If you are burning with vice, take a dip in that ocean.
Life is fragile and we never know what lies ahead. When we are walking, we don’t even know if we would be able to take the next step or not. “Just like the sun is always there even though rain clouds may try to hide it, God is never gone from us even though the storms of our lives may sometimes make it seem so.”
"When we are at our lowest, we should exercise patience like the ladder; and step-by-step we will make it to the top."
The Bible says: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds."
Life is Beautiful only when we live in God’s grace. It is with His mercy that we get blessed with Spiritual maturity.
Spiritual Maturity is when you stop trying to change others...instead focus on changing yourself.'
Spiritual Maturity is when you accept people as they are. It is when you understand everyone is right in his or her own perspective.
When you learn to "let go" When you are able to drop "expectations" from a relationship and give for the sake of giving.
It is when you understand whatever you do, you do for your own peace.
Spiritual Maturity is also when you stop proving to the world, how intelligent you are.
It is when you don't seek approval from others. Spiritual Maturity is when you stop comparing with others because you are at peace with yourself.
When you are able to differentiate between "need" and "want" and are able to let go of your wants and last but most meaningful:
You gain Spiritual Maturity when you STOP attaching "HAPPINESS" to MATERIAL THINGS.
"Wishing all a very Happy Spiritually matured life"
-Until next time, this is Preet Sahi reminding you to Stay Spiritual!
A poor family used to live in a small tattered hut and always used to pray to God, to bless them so that they could get financial stability. One day, a holy man passed by and they invited him into their little hut and offered him a meal. They served him and took his blessings. When he was leaving the hut, he was very pleased, so he took a piece of coal from his bag and wrote the number 1 on the inner side of the front door.
After he left, the family started finding 1 rupee from everywhere around their little hut. They would pick up a glass and there would be a rupee under. Wherever, they would put their hands, they would find a rupee.
A few months passed by and another holy man came in. The family was very happy and served him with great devotion. When he was leaving, he also took a piece of coal from his bag and this time, he added a zero to the 1 that was written on the inner side of the front door.
No sooner had he left, the family now started finding 10 rupees from all around the house.
Another few months went by and a third holy man came in. The same scenario repeated itself and this time, he added another zero to the 10 that was written inside the front door. Now the family started finding 100 rupee bills from under items and all around the house. It didn’t take long when the family started enjoying financial bliss. Their tattered hut changed into a lavish bungalow at the same spot, but they kept the original front door intact.
A few more months passed by and the same holy man who had first come to their house, came back. He saw that the family was now very rich and noticed how their lifestyle had changed. The family invited him in and told him that there were bigger and more powerful holy men than him, who had blessed them with ten times and hundred times more wealth than him and that his blessing of 1 rupee was really not worth while any more.
They explained to him that they have been blessed with 100 rupee bills and that they don’t want his blessing of 1 rupee anymore, because they were afraid that the 100 rupees will change into 1 rupee and their benefits would be reduced to nothing. The original holy man then asked them, that if they did not need his 1 anymore, then should he take it back? They said sure!
So, on his way out of the bungalow, he took a piece of cloth and wiped out the 1 that was written on the inside of the door. All that was left on the door now, was 00.
It didn’t take long for the family to realize that the money had stopped showing up and they finally understood that the blessing indicated on the door was now zero-zero. They realized that the zeros had no value without the 1.
Similarly, God plays the role of that “1” in our lives. The Gurbani very beautifully refers to Him as the one and only: Ek Onkar. When we make God number 1 in our lives, then with our karam and deeds, we add zeros to our lives and give it value. But when we forget to place God as number 1, then the zeros have no value, and our lives become worthless. The materialistic life around us is equivalent to the zeros. It has value only when put after the 1 God. If we were to put materialism first, and then God second, then also, a 1 after the zeros has merely any value.
We all need to remember to put God first. If we have Him, we have everything. If we keep seeking material pleasures but forget God, then we are not getting anywhere.
"Forgetfulness of God is ‘death’. God is the ocean of virtues. If you are burning with vice, take a dip in that ocean.
Life is fragile and we never know what lies ahead. When we are walking, we don’t even know if we would be able to take the next step or not. “Just like the sun is always there even though rain clouds may try to hide it, God is never gone from us even though the storms of our lives may sometimes make it seem so.”
"When we are at our lowest, we should exercise patience like the ladder; and step-by-step we will make it to the top."
The Bible says: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds."
Life is Beautiful only when we live in God’s grace. It is with His mercy that we get blessed with Spiritual maturity.
Spiritual Maturity is when you stop trying to change others...instead focus on changing yourself.'
Spiritual Maturity is when you accept people as they are. It is when you understand everyone is right in his or her own perspective.
When you learn to "let go" When you are able to drop "expectations" from a relationship and give for the sake of giving.
It is when you understand whatever you do, you do for your own peace.
Spiritual Maturity is also when you stop proving to the world, how intelligent you are.
It is when you don't seek approval from others. Spiritual Maturity is when you stop comparing with others because you are at peace with yourself.
When you are able to differentiate between "need" and "want" and are able to let go of your wants and last but most meaningful:
You gain Spiritual Maturity when you STOP attaching "HAPPINESS" to MATERIAL THINGS.
"Wishing all a very Happy Spiritually matured life"
-Until next time, this is Preet Sahi reminding you to Stay Spiritual!